Pictures of Our Visit to the Orphanage

We were able to go visit the orphanage on the Thursday of the week we were in Zhengzhou.  Xuchang Social Welfare Institute was where Dawson spent most of his first 18 months of life.  On Gotcha Day we also found out that he had spent some time (Oct 2011 - Jan 2012) at a place called Kaifeng Rehabilitation Center.  We hadn't known he was there.  We asked what he was there for and really didn't get much of an answer.  We assume they were working with him trying to get him caught up development-wise.  We don't really think they did much, though, because he was almost 18 months when we met him and he wasn't really walking.  At the 12-month update that we received they said he was starting to walk holding onto things.  He was still doing that almost 6 months later.  We think we saw him take his first steps by himself a couple days after we met him, just because we encouraged him to do so.  We also made him walk from one of us to the other to get a bite of ice cream!  Food is a GREAT motivator for him!

So we took the 2-hour trip to Xuchang.  The driver had trouble finding it but our guide called and we found our way there.  We were shown various rooms (kitchen, music, therapy) and then were taken to the room where Dawson spent his time.  I had 3 names of other boys to ask about and take pictures of and they were ALL in that same room!  I took pictures with both my camera and the iPad.  I was able to email the iPad pictures to their moms that night and sent the camera photos later on when we got home.  I know pictures of your children are very precious to receive before you meet your child.

The shoes we got for him at a baby/children's store on Gotcha Day.  He came to us with just socks!

 

He fell asleep on the ride to the orphanage.

 

 

Kitchen at the orphanage

 

Play room

 

Play/therapy/music room

 

This is the little guy that we THOUGHT was Dawson when we saw pictures of him on a Yahoo Group!  Come to find out that Dawson was at Kaifeng when those pictures were taken.  I held this little guy and he was quite heavy like Dawson!

 

I took some pictures of this little guy for his mom.  He was Xu Le Tian.  He is now Lee.

 

This was Xu Xin.  He is now Henry and he has the absolute BEST smile!

 

I also found out that these two were cribmates and was able to tell their moms that!

 

This was Xu Peng Hao.  He is now Connor!

I keep in touch with these 3 boys' moms and it's so wonderful to see them all THRIVING with their forever families!

 

 

 

This little guy fell asleep before we left the room.  He was given a blanket and was completely OUT!

 

This little gal was the only girl in the room.  I have since "met" her mom online as well!

 

This was the name label on the crib that was Dawson's.

It says "Xu Le An".

 

We also got to see another part of the SWI.  While there we recognized the lady on the left as the one who was in the video update that we got of Dawson.  She was trying to get him to hold onto some rattles and things.  The lady in the center is the Director of the orphanage.  And the one on the right always seems to be around for important events.

 

The sign in front of the orphanage.

 

Notice the big gloves on the handle bars to keep hands warm!

 

The director took us out for lunch.

 

The front of the building/maternity area of the hospital where Dawson was born.

 

The maternity floor.  The people are waiting for the birth of a baby(ies).

 

The main entrance of the hospital.  The maternity part is a building behind this one.

 

The traffic in China.  You see this ALL DAY in EVERY CITY!  No one goes very fast!

 

 

With Echo, our Holt guide.

 

Two other kids that were adopted by other families.  The girl holding Dawson lived at the same orphanage as Dawson.

 

Sleeping peacefully.  The "An" part of his Chinese name means "peace."